“We’ve eliminated 90% of the downtime… being proactive to make sure we are doing the maintenance checks and having the trucks serviced regularly, we’ve been able to keep it to a minimum.”

Nick Sanchez

General Manager – Bland Distribution Services

Application

Bland Distribution Services, located in Donna, TX, is a 30480 square meters cross-dock distribution center primarily handling fresh produce products traveling from Mexico to retailers in the U.S. Since its establishment in 2008, the company has operated two shifts per day, transferring produce between 150 semi-trucks daily. This fast pace results in a complete turn of their warehouse content in just two and a half days.

Challenge

With perishable produce, time is the most valuable asset in Bland Distribution Services operation. When customers check in at the dock they expect their trucks to be fully loaded in two hours. Constant movement of product is a necessity so the company’s forklift fleet as its service network must be bulletproof. Downtime not only impacts productivity but also directly impacts customer satisfaction. With 90 percent of their operation indoors, the company needed an electric truck that was capable of maximizing uptime across both shifts.

Solution

Bland Distribution selected the Crown FC Series to satisfy the demanding requirements of their time-sensitive operation. Using opportunity charging during lunch and dinner breaks, the company is able to run two full shifts on a single battery charge, eliminating the downtime associated with charging or battery swaps and maximizing the performance of each forklift. The operation was also able to maximize warehouse space, coupling 5.28 meter tall racking with the FC Series quad mast to easily move product from all levels with the same truck. Reliability of the FC Series has outperformed the company’s previous forklifts and, coupled with an extended maintenance plan, has eliminated 90% of the downtime they had experienced previously.